Wal-mart Igloo 5 gal cooler sale!

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Is that really a sale?? I've been Eying one for myself for a few weeks and they've been around $19 the whole time... maybe i should look again and see if they're cheaper now.
 
I feel a little stupid if that is true, but amazon's is $35. I'm going to build an MLT and sell it. Where did you see it for $19?
 
No, I was right. $15 is really good for that cooler. I went out and bought the parts to convert it: $22. So, that is $37 invested. Not bad!
 
Apparently they are on clearance in PA and IL (Chicago).

I was just at Ace Hardware, and they have the 10 gallon Igloo cooler (orange) for $49. From what I've seen, that is a pretty good price too.
 
eanmcnulty said:
Apparently they are on clearance in PA and IL (Chicago).

I was just at Ace Hardware, and they have the 10 gallon Igloo cooler (orange) for $49. From what I've seen, that is a pretty good price too.
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Spend the extra dough on the ten gallon one. The fivers are cheap, yes, but you will outgrow it in no time and be left with a five gallon paperweight.
 
Well, I understand that point of view, but I get a high enough ABV for me. If I want to go higher, I can just brew a slightly smaller batch. No Problem.
 
I don't have space to grow any larger. No kegs for me. No keggerator. I'm fine with what I have. In fact was looking into making the Brutus 20 countertop electric system to get even more compact.
 
I agree with the oter poster.

A 5 gal. cooler is a waste of money. If you are going to take the time to brew some bigger beers (Denny's sig: "Life begins at 1.060")(that's a small beer in my opinion!) so you can store them for a while you really need a bigger cooler.
 
I'll probably swing by in the next week or so and pick up the 5 gallon from walmart. I brew 2.5 gallon batches for the most part right now ( reduces bottling and I can brew more often. Plus I dont' really have the space to brew bigger right now.
 
You see? It seems like there is no need to tell someone that they should be brewing the way you brew. The thread was simply about 5 gallon coolers. It seems there are plenty of brewers who use them. One way way is not more right than another. I may have a 10 gallon cooler one day, but that doesn't mean the 5 gallon cooler is a waste. Just different.
 
5 gal may be small for a mlt, but would be perfect hlt size for someone only interested in doing 5 gal batches.
 
eanmcnulty said:
You see? It seems like there is no need to tell someone that they should be brewing the way you brew. The thread was simply about 5 gallon coolers. It seems there are plenty of brewers who use them. One way way is not more right than another. I may have a 10 gallon cooler one day, but that doesn't mean the 5 gallon cooler is a waste. Just different.
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I'm not trying to tell to brew the way I do. I'm just trying to save you some money in the long run. Because if you do as you say, and upgrade to the ten gallon cooler, then it WAS a waste, because you could have been using the big cooler for your small batches all along, and you could have used the fifteen bucks for something else. I never said you had to brew big beers, or brew ten gallon batches. I just said it was wise to think ahead little bit, and getting the bigger cooler keeps your options open without a second purchase. And if you think you can use your use your fiver for an HLT for a bigger system, think again. My sparge water requirements are usually close to ten gallons.
 
But what if I never do go to 10 gallon cooler? Then I have wasted $35 getting space in a cooler I don't need. Who knows what the future holds? My plan is to brew mostly ales under 1.065, and I figure if I ever want to brew over that, I can just make a smaller batch. Honestly, I don't really like to drink many very strong beers. I am in the 5-6% range.
 
I understand it's not for everybody- I just want people to think ahead a little bit. As i said, I'm just trying to save people money over the long run. It's not just the cooler- it's the money spent on turning it into an MLT, which will have to be re-spent on the new one it one does go bigger. You guys do what you want- but i reserve the right to say I-told-you-so :)
 
I myself will get a ten gallon in the future just to have the room if I want it. With that said you can brew about 95% of the beers I brew with the 5gal I have right now. In the few years I have been using it I only had space issues on 2 beers. And I usually brew around 1.050-1.070.

What I am saying is that is a great deal and for 5gal batches you will get alot of use out of it.
 
Bernie, You of course have the right to say "I told you so." My point was simple. These coolers are available. They are a great price. If you are in need of a 5 gallon MLT, here it is!
I guess this thread has run it's limit. We are just repeating ourselves here. :)
 
I didn't see a need to create a new thread, but wanted to share my price find. After shopping all day with the Mrs, and checking every store for cooler sales, we stopped at Kmart to pick up a couple things. I wasn't even going to check coolers there, they were in the back, too far away... but Mrs insisted that we go check.

She's a goddamned psychic! I picked up a 75 quart Igloo eXtreme and a 100 quart Igloo eXtreme for $22 and $32 respectively. So, for now, the plan is to use the 75 quart as a HLT and a twice used IceCube as my Mash Tun. The 100 qt cooler will replace the IceCube as general duty. I only have a 7.5 gallon boil pot at the moment, so I'm only doing 5 gallon batches for now. But I'm moving to all grain, after 8 batches of extract and PMs.

My plan is to run to Home Depot for the parts needed for a ball valve on the HLT and the Mash Tun and a copper manifold for the Mash Tun. I probably already have everything I need except for the ball valves.

Sorry to interjackulate on your thread, but I thought I'd let you all know, that it might be time for clearances on coolers to be happening all around.
 
bigjason said:
i didn't see a need to create a new thread, but wanted to share my price find. After shopping all day with the mrs, and checking every store for cooler sales, we stopped at kmart to pick up a couple things. I wasn't even going to check coolers there, they were in the back, too far away... But mrs insisted that we go check.

She's a goddamned psychic! I picked up a 75 quart igloo extreme and a 100 quart igloo extreme for $22 and $32 respectively. So, for now, the plan is to use the 75 quart as a hlt and a twice used icecube as my mash tun. The 100 qt cooler will replace the icecube as general duty. I only have a 7.5 gallon boil pot at the moment, so i'm only doing 5 gallon batches for now. But i'm moving to all grain, after 8 batches of extract and pms.

My plan is to run to home depot for the parts needed for a ball valve on the hlt and the mash tun and a copper manifold for the mash tun. I probably already have everything i need except for the ball valves.

Sorry to interjackulate on your thread, but i thought i'd let you all know, that it might be time for clearances on coolers to be happening all around.
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winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
eanmcnulty said:
I know... More is better. :)
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It's not that you're not suppose to brew small batches. It's more about a 20 qt cooler being very limiting for brewing purposes.

The majority of the readers will brew 5 or more gallon batches. To post a deal for five gallon coolers without alerting the not knowing newbie brewers that the cooler is limited to brewing 5 gal batches of smaller gravity beers is the problem.

You can get great deals on all size coolers this time of year. A Coleman 48 qt cooler at Kmart is 22 bucks and a better buy IMHO for brewers
 
I had no idea what I was getting into when I mentioned this sale. I just spoke with my local homebrew store and told him of the find and he went over to Wal-Mart, bought their entire stock, and converted them to MLT's and they are now for sale in his shop. A five gallon MLT is fine for 75% of the people in here. Do a fly sparge, batch sparge, etc. it will work. We are homebrewers. We adapt things. I like the idea that this is a DESIGNED beverage cooler. Not a cooler designed to put cans into such as the big square deals.

And if I want to make a high gravity beer, and you say I can't, guess what, I'll do a 4 or 4.5 gallon batch. Less to bottle. If I want to do a 10 gallon batch, hell, I'll buy two 5 gallon MLT's and combine them into the same brew pot. Adapt. That's what I do. Peace out!
 
I actually found the $15 5gal cooler at Wally World last week, I'm going to use it for a HLT for fly sparge. Thanks for the original post though 'cause I have been looking for deals on coolers for a while.
 
OLDBREW was finally able to get me to see the reason behind all this 5/10 gallon controversy. It is good to let new brewers know that a 5 gallon cooler limits a brewer to 5 gallon batches.
 
The Wally World here has the 5 gallon round for $15 and a rectangle 28 qt Coleman for $11.00. It is this cooler.
detail.asp


This will work fine for 5 gallon batches.
 
Most new brewers are most likely doing extract or maybe partial mashes. whatever... Caveat Emptor

To the OP: thanks for the tip!
 
xxsn0blindxx said:
The 28 quart Coleman doesn't have a drain valve and is lighter on insulation.
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FWIW, I think the little Coleman 28 makes a great "starter" mash tun. Excellent size for 5 gal batch sparge batches, easier to stir than a round cooler, it is kinda thin, but if preheated will work fine IMHO, and for 11 bucks!

You will need to drill it, but you can simply drill a hole for a drilled stopper, pull a tube through the stopper and attach a braid. You can very easily set it up as shown in the link, I wouldn't bother w/ the copper but use a HD vinyl tube, instead of a ss clamp, a zip tie works well. A great little tun, under $20 complete...of course this is not for everyone. You can also add an inexpensive plastic in-line valve (optional), I think NB sells them for a couple bucks.

http://cruisenews.net/brewing/infusion/page1.php
 
I went to my local Wal-Mart and there it was - 15$ and in a cool blue color, so I snapped it up. You guys don't know how much I HATE Walmart! The funny thing is I went to my local Ace hardware - because you pay more, but the guys working there actually know their stuff (like Home Despot USED to be) so I was able to avoid making that dreaded return trip. The hardware came to almost 40$ though I think I got royally reamed.

Ok, I've been trying to follow these 10 gal warnings and I'm not fully getting it. I've been doing BIAB stovetop splitting between pots and the mash was close to 4, 4.5 gals. but not more than that?? (I'm waiting for a stainless 40qt stock pot ebay purchase to come through - Yay!)

so if I take 1.25 qts/lb. of grain even with a 12 lb grain bill, thats 15qts=3.75 Gal in water and add grain volume. Will that put it right to the top or more?

Since I have the hardware I can pick up a 10gal anytime I like the price. So far I haven't seen better than 35$ though
 
wilserbrewer said:
FWIW, I think the little Coleman 28 makes a great "starter" mash tun. Excellent size for 5 gal batch sparge batches, easier to stir than a round cooler, it is kinda thin, but if preheated will work fine IMHO, and for 11 bucks!

You will need to drill it, but you can simply drill a hole for a drilled stopper, pull a tube through the stopper and attach a braid. You can very easily set it up as shown in the link, I wouldn't bother w/ the copper but use a HD vinyl tube, instead of a ss clamp, a zip tie works well. A great little tun, under $20 complete...of course this is not for everyone. You can also add an inexpensive plastic in-line valve (optional), I think NB sells them for a couple bucks.

http://cruisenews.net/brewing/infusion/page1.php
Click to expand...

I hemmed and hawed at getting that cooler or the 5 gallon jug and decided on the jug. The main reason I decided against the $11 cooler was because the $11 cooler felt light on insulation and didn't have the advertised keeps ice cold for XX hours like all the others had.
 
minimally helpful post warning:

My 40 qt pot does not hold 10 gallons of water (I don't know how they measure it!). it was like 9.25 gallons.
*I do not know if the coolers are more accurate, or what. So the 5g might be even smaller.
 
Well, the 5 gallon igloo has graduation marks on the inside going up tp 5 gallons... so it better.
 

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